tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post3790285492949444805..comments2018-03-09T08:34:29.490-05:00Comments on The Odissi Profiles: ODMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07769741488352515018noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-38681875427007029572010-10-29T19:43:05.464-04:002010-10-29T19:43:05.464-04:00Dear artistes &amp; art lovers,
All of you must b...Dear artistes &amp; art lovers,<br /><br />All of you must be aware of the sad demise of our beloved Guru Shree gangadhar Pradhan. As a tribute to his unforgetable memories, the Orissa Dance Academy and the artiste community of Bhubaneswar are organising SHRADHANJALI - an evening dedicated to the life of the revered Guru on 6th November, 2010 (6.30 pm) at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar.<br />Thus, we request the well wishers of Guru Gangadhar Pradhan to kindly send us a message which will be published in the booklet/souvenir.<br />Since a short film on Guruji&#39;s life will be shown on that day, we should be grateful if an audio-visual byte of yours can be sent to us. Which we will incorporate in the film.<br />Awaiting to your early response.<br /> <br />ODA Family<br /> <br />ORISSA DANCE ACADEMY<br />Qr. No. 4R-8, Unit - 8, Bhubaneswar -12<br />Orissa, India, <br />Web: http://www.orissadanceacademy.orgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-40080276985322031252010-10-29T19:37:30.899-04:002010-10-29T19:37:30.899-04:00Anindita Anu Nanda wrote:
With a heavy heart we ...Anindita Anu Nanda wrote: <br /><br />With a heavy heart we all have to come to terms with this great loss that can never be replaced. Guruji was an institution, he was The Legacy, what a sad moment for all of us. I feel like we in the fraternity have lost a father figure. Words seem inadequate to express the sadness I feel.<br /><br />Pray to God to rest Guruji&#39;s soul in peace. Pray that his legacy continues and he continues to live through the thousands of students, his followers and his teachings through all of us. <br /><br />I would like to quote something I read a while back and it has stuck with me. <br /><br />This is for your Guruji ..... <br />&quot;He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man&quot;...........<br /><br />Kind regards and gratitude<br /><br />Anindita Anu Nanda<br />CT, USAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-30864407184250633602010-10-26T22:33:00.278-04:002010-10-26T22:33:00.278-04:00Aurosmita Acharya wrote:
I am grieved on...Aurosmita Acharya wrote:<br /><br /><br /><br /> I am grieved on the demise of Guru Sri Gangadhar Pradhan, which is<br /> yet hard to believe as I had met him recently. Though I have never<br /> been a disciple to him (rather I belong to the Dev Prasad Das gharana)<br /> but have always seen his owness, had his selfless guidance after every<br /> performance of mine in the recent past. I have very little but heart<br /> warming memories of him. After almost every performance of mine he had<br /> this sweet gesture of coming up to me and critically giving me the<br /> positive as well as the negative elements in the performance. He told:<br /> &quot;Maa you could have done this sort of a posture (and he immediately<br /> showed me the posture), you could have been a bit fast in a particular<br /> footwork to enhance its charm...&quot; ; its inexpressible of how these<br /> small nuances of his had a guiding impact and working on those lines<br /> helped me a lot for my next performance. What&#39;s more important is, he<br /> marked those minute changes in performances and pointed me out &#39;see<br /> how beautiful now it looks!!&#39; followed by another guiding point for my<br /> upcoming performance. He was a well wisher, a Guru, who often guided<br /> me. I pray that his soul rest in peace and his guidlines will always<br /> be cherished in my heart.<br /><br /> Aurosmita.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-82146860020573806492010-10-17T17:46:33.389-04:002010-10-17T17:46:33.389-04:00Dear All,
Namaskar.
Just received the following ...Dear All,<br />Namaskar.<br /> <br />Just received the following posting from Bijayini Satapathy from Nrityagram.<br />As I have been doing with all such postings, I am sharing her feelings for Gangadhar Guruji with you all.<br /> <br />Regards,<br />Shyamhari<br /><br /><br />--- On Sun, 17/10/10, Bijayini Satpathy wrote:<br /> From: Bijayini Satpathy <br /> Subject: Guru gangadhar Pradhan<br /> To: &quot;Shyamhari Chakra&quot; <br /> Date: Sunday, 17 October, 2010, 4:09 AM<br /><br /> Dear Shyam Bhai,<br /><br /> Namaskar.<br /><br /> I thought you appropriate to send the following to so that you can reach it across to all grieving the untimely tragic loss of Ganga Sir.<br /><br /> &quot;There are few moments in my life that I feel blessed for, where I have been in the right place at the right time. In other words I have been chosen to be a part of the greater universal plan. One such moment was my initiation into Orissa Dance Academy in 1980, then headed by Ganga Sir. As I look at more and more dancers today, my belief gets only stronger that most of the better dancers today come from his lineage.<br /><br /> Even though I was never directly taught by Sir, it is his sense of a strong foundation in technique is what I received through all the amazing teachers he entrusted us with. I am ever so grateful to him for the clarity with which he lead his team of teachers.<br /><br /> I remember when I had to leave for Nrityagram to join the ensemble on their first tour to USA in 1993, he sat me down to give me pearls of advice that have become my self-discipline. I was to dance with the ensemble temporarily and return after the tour. He felt proud that one of his dancers was the one to be chosen by Gaurima as well as the greater responsibility that I be a worthy representative of his philosophy. He said, &quot; Maa, go to class well before time and completely prepared.&quot; He took it for granted that a dancer must come prepared with dance lessons already taught. He emphasized, &quot; always bring your water bottle to class and a few biscuits. You never know when the class will finish. You must have the mental strength to go through till the end and not disturb the flow of rehearsal. Take a break only when given.&quot; There is not a single day till now that I have broken this ritual and I have only gained tremendously from this practice.<br /><br /> As a young student I saw him angry, very angry and frustrated all the time. He played the mardala for rehearsals and often broke into long speeches regarding self-motivation, hardwork and loyalty. I was scared to see him in our class and dreaded rehearsals with him. I do not remember him ever satisfied or happy. My chioce to move to Nrityagram hurt him deeply and I believe he held it close to his heart forever. His pain over it was so intense that he perhaps never saw the grains of his teaching in my dance. He never came to my performances till the international festival in Malaysia. However, I believe that our differences resolved when one day after my performance in Bhubaneswar he called to say, &quot;Maa, even though I didn&#39;t see you dance, I feel proud with what the fifty eyes that saw you had to say. Carry on your work.&quot; I had been troubled that he had not forgiven me. May be I didn&#39;t recognise the bigness of his heart. That day I let it go.<br /><br /> I believe Odissi is young and still growing to fulfill and complete its identity. The work of Ganga Sir has certainly influenced the course of this evolution significantly and will continue to do so till his philosophy is passed on through the blessed ones that were there in the right place at the right time as me.<br /><br /> Bijayini SatpathyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-74683615737387199982010-10-16T01:17:47.889-04:002010-10-16T01:17:47.889-04:00I am shocked and speechless at this news. His cont...I am shocked and speechless at this news. His contribution to Odissi, the field of Indian dance and to Orissa is enormous. I had the pleasure of meeting him in Konark when I was working in Raghurajpur and he had expressed an interest in visiting the US with his troupe.<br /> <br />His work will continue to inspire us and the future generations. May his soul rest in piece.<br /> <br />I offer our heartfelt condolences to Ganga sir&#39;s family, students and all his admirers on behalf of the New York city dance community and the Erasing Borders festival team.<br /> <br />Deepest condolences<br />Prachi <br /><br /><br />Prachi DalalAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-44757297305657977342010-10-16T01:17:10.460-04:002010-10-16T01:17:10.460-04:00Guru Gangadhar Pradhan&#39;s death is really a unf...Guru Gangadhar Pradhan&#39;s death is really a unfulfillable loss of Odissi world. A man like him will never be found and born.<br />He had come from a very common family with a less education , but proved himself as an extraordinary human being .He had such talent to do anything .Impossible word was never found in his dictionary. But God&#39;s desire was something else.<br />His dreams were unlimited and those remained unfulfilled.<br />Let&#39;s salute to the great soul, the great son of Utkal Janani.<br />Namaste ! Namaste !! Namaste !!!<br /><br />Jagabandhu JenaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-16135843528009282242010-10-16T01:11:58.579-04:002010-10-16T01:11:58.579-04:00We all remain shocked to hear of the sudden and un...We all remain shocked to hear of the sudden and untimely demise of a beloved member of our Odissi community.<br />Gangadhar-ji was not only a great teacher and dancer and mardala player, but such an avid proponent of Odissi. Always smiling, helpful and truly humble I used to enjoy meeting with him privately whenever i visited Bhubaneshwar to work with my guru Durga Charan Ranbir.<br />I sympathize particularly with his family and of course all his students who must be bereft.<br />What a loss - so unexpected and while he as so young, too.<br /><br />rajika<br /> <br />http://www.rajikapuri.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-38725888670852218122010-10-16T01:06:42.666-04:002010-10-16T01:06:42.666-04:00sincere condolences
It is very saddening to hear ...sincere condolences<br /><br />It is very saddening to hear about Guru Gangadhar Pradhan&#39;s untimely demise. My<br />sincere condolences to all his family members. He will be remembered by many.<br /><br />Barbara Curda<br />--Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-27848685920508237852010-10-14T12:31:47.302-04:002010-10-14T12:31:47.302-04:00When I watch these videos I just want to cry becau...When I watch these videos I just want to cry because his loss is not just personal, but universal. If it weren&#39;t for Guruji, I would never be able to teach at Cornell. He instilled the basics in me inspite of my years of study before I began with him. He was a generous soul, and totally dedicated to his art. He breathed life back into the institution of Gotipua and brought so much to the dance world. I can&#39;t even imagine going back to Bhubaneswar and Konarak and not having him there. I am truly grieved, but I&#39;m sure that his wonderfully trained disciples will continue on in his name and keep his legacy alive.Durga Borhttp://odissi.blogspot.com/2007/09/durga-bor.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-18124643778078627592010-10-12T23:34:13.074-04:002010-10-12T23:34:13.074-04:00Remembering Ganga Bhai......
For the Srjan Famil...Remembering Ganga Bhai......<br /><br /><br />For the Srjan Family a time of mourning. In the untimely death of Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, we have lost a valued associate in dance. From the time he lived with us in our Cuttack residence as a disciple of Guruji, his association with Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Srjan, has endured many ups &amp; downs in his life in Art. We have rejoiced in his many successes, and even in this hour of grief, we will be heartened that his exemplary life and his herculean labours that have benefitted so many practitioners of Odissi dance.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Both as a performer &amp; teacher, his unending toil to constantly improve upon his best efforts, has inspired many over the years. At a personal level we will always remember his worthwhile contribution as a member of the Srjan jury which has selected the awardees for the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award for the last 10 years.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Guru Gangadhar Pradhan lived for Odissi. And his lifeâ€™s work, his many successes demonstrates that he was indeed worthy of his grand obsession - Odissi.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Ratikant Mohapatra<br /><br />&amp; Srjan familyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-47852032042722039002010-10-12T01:37:47.648-04:002010-10-12T01:37:47.648-04:00A huge loss for the Odissi world. But he leaves be...A huge loss for the Odissi world. But he leaves behind a rich creative legacy.<br />My hearts goes out to Guruji&#39;s family.<br /><br />~ Shreelina GhoshAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-33774759861126738692010-10-12T01:37:18.692-04:002010-10-12T01:37:18.692-04:00We are going to miss a Great man of our time .His ...We are going to miss a Great man of our time .His contribution to the Arts was colossal. May his vision be continued .<br />My heart felt pronam to Guruji . I will miss him very much .<br /><br />All the Best to his family ....<br /><br />Mitali Dev of UK.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-69430787424466462552010-10-12T01:36:46.949-04:002010-10-12T01:36:46.949-04:00To the Dancer Community:
Ganga Sir&#39;s passing i...To the Dancer Community:<br />Ganga Sir&#39;s passing is a great loss to the whole dancer community, especially to the Odissi dancers. I was fortunate to have him play the pakhavaj for me and I will never forget the magic he could create on stage. Without doubt, he was a visionary and when he spoke about his dreams for Konarak his excitement was catching. My dancers and I at Nrityalaya will miss him terribly. Our heartfelt condolences to the family.<br /> <br />Chitra<br /> <br />Chitra KrishnamurtiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-86379788356016711012010-10-12T01:36:14.231-04:002010-10-12T01:36:14.231-04:00Dear Shibu Bhai,
Please accept our condolences.
G...Dear Shibu Bhai,<br /><br />Please accept our condolences.<br />Guruji will Always be living in our hearts.My deepest sympathy to you and your family.The angels are always near to those who are grieving, to whisper to them that their loved ones are safe in the hand of God.<br /><br />Members of Kalajyoti. <br /><br />Monalisa GhoshAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-71344448428570036872010-10-12T01:35:45.173-04:002010-10-12T01:35:45.173-04:00Rest in peace!
I&#39;m devastated to hear the sad...Rest in peace!<br /><br />I&#39;m devastated to hear the sad news. With a heavy heart we all have to come to terms with this great loss that can never be replaced. Guruji was an institution, he was The Legacy, what a sad moment for all of us. I feel like we in the fraternity have lost a father figure .......Words seem inadequate to express the sadness I feel.<br /><br />Pray to God to rest Guruji&#39;s soul in peace. Pray that his legacy continues and he continues to live through the thousands of students, his followers and his teachings through all of us. I would like to quote something I read a while back and it has stuck with me. <br /><br />This is for your Guruji ..... <br /><br />&quot;He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man&quot;...........<br /><br />My deepest condolences to the grieving family. Our thoughts are with them. May the Lord give them the strength to brave these tiring times.<br /><br />Humbly<br /><br />Anindita Nanda<br />SoorTaal, Danbury CTAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-89671388973030139592010-10-12T01:35:02.002-04:002010-10-12T01:35:02.002-04:00Our heart felt condolences .. A great great loss f...Our heart felt condolences .. A great great loss for Odissi ...<br /><br />Swapnokalpa DasguptaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-15760016480201939192010-10-12T01:34:26.449-04:002010-10-12T01:34:26.449-04:00Our Humble prayers condoling the great master, in ...Our Humble prayers condoling the great master, in august we had his darshan in Bangalore in madhulitas festival, we pray for our departed art visionary of the country. Let his soul rest in peace. Hari om, om sai ram, om om om shanti shanti shanti. <br /><br />Sai Venkatesh and all dancers of Karnataka.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-42240486334334585632010-10-12T01:33:36.070-04:002010-10-12T01:33:36.070-04:00I am shocked to learn about the sudden demise of G...I am shocked to learn about the sudden demise of Guru Gangadhar<br />Pradhan. Right now i am in Korea. I wish to call Shibu but feel<br />incapable of consoling him through a phone call as it is not just his<br />loss, its the loss of the entire dance fraternity. Ganga Sir was a<br />source of inspiration for me for his selfless service towards training<br />and preservation of the orissan arts especially the Gotipua tradition<br />and the Gurukul system of training.<br />Kindly convey my condolensces to Shibu who i know must be broken and<br />not in a state of mind to take calls. Also, kindly convey to Guru<br />Banamali Moharana for whom Ganga Sir was more than a disciple and<br />colleague.<br />May God give peace to his soul and may all of us safeguard his spirit<br />of dedicated work by continuing to do so in our own spheres.<br /><br />Parwati DuttaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-37831045224111012342010-10-12T01:32:44.931-04:002010-10-12T01:32:44.931-04:00The sudden demise of Ganga Sir is one of the few s...The sudden demise of Ganga Sir is one of the few saddest events of my life. I was extremely fortunate to meet him as recently as in the first week of September in Bhubaneswar.<br /> <br />This loss is, indeed, an irrepairable loss not only for our entire Odissi Family, but also for Indian Culture and Classical form of Art.<br /> <br />Ganga Sir was a visionary and a role model for everyone around.<br /> <br />My deepest condolences to the entire Odissi Fraternity for this very very unfortunate happening.<br /> <br />May Lord Jagannath give the strength to Ganga Sir&#39;s entire family.and all of us to minimise the immense pain.<br /> <br />Ganga Sir will remain in our heart for ever.<br /> <br />With warm regards,<br />ShayomitaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-56576877146483945412010-10-12T01:31:33.921-04:002010-10-12T01:31:33.921-04:00I am very upset to hear the news of Guru Gangadhar...I am very upset to hear the news of Guru Gangadhar Pradhan&#39;s health.<br />I had the great fortune to be introduced to the exquisite Odissi<br />dance by Guru Gangadhar Pradhan during my travels to India in 1996. I<br />studied at Konark Natya Mandap and the Orissa Dance Academy. I have<br />so many beautiful memories from this time. I treasure these<br />experiences. I was so inspired by Guru Gangadhar&#39;s dedication to<br />Odissi, his vision, and and his creation of a vibrant community of<br />artists and people working with him. I send my love and prayers for<br />his quick recovery and for his family.<br /><br />love &amp; light,<br />Leigh EvansAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-80482331151626107742010-10-12T01:30:54.357-04:002010-10-12T01:30:54.357-04:00Very hard to believe and digest. I have been fortu...Very hard to believe and digest. I have been fortunate enough to attend Ganga Sir&#39;s classes...the man who would never tire is no more but his soul and memories will always remain with us<br /> <br />We are going to miss him terribly<br />Indu VijayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-60042503118234400832010-10-12T01:30:04.227-04:002010-10-12T01:30:04.227-04:00Respected Odissi dance community,
Our Guru Shradh...Respected Odissi dance community,<br /><br />Our Guru Shradha family is saddened with the loss of Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, such a significant person in the Odissi community. Our sincerest condolences and prayers to the family. May his soul rest in peace.<br /><br />With warmest regards,<br />Niharika Mohanty (Director), Ratikant Mohapatra (Key Advisor), Sujata Mohapatra (Artistic Director)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-39836804134442793152010-10-12T01:29:17.333-04:002010-10-12T01:29:17.333-04:00This is hard to believe. A great loss for us.
rim...This is hard to believe. A great loss for us.<br /><br />rimi nandyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-5283856484614784372010-10-12T01:28:40.317-04:002010-10-12T01:28:40.317-04:00My heart is ful of gratitude, for what Guruji has ...My heart is ful of gratitude, for what Guruji has teached me and for what he has teached my teacher Durga Bor.<br />I was in Orissa Bubaneshwar by the ODA and also on the Konarkfestival in 1998.<br />I was heartly treated as a gast by him and by his family and by his friends.<br />He was a very creative, artistic and energetic being,<br />may his soul rest in peace and light.<br /> <br />Greetje Hoekstra from Amsterdam NetherlandsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20705751.post-14526741782836092352010-10-12T01:28:12.009-04:002010-10-12T01:28:12.009-04:00Guru ji achieved the ultimate truth of life, but h...Guru ji achieved the ultimate truth of life, but he left us with a pain full heart.<br />May his soul rest in peace, definitely he is with the almighty, who will hence forth be able to see the our beloved guru ji all the while in service to the art.<br />It comes as a shocking news for me, i still can&#39;t believe this. It was about a 2 -3 months back that i was on cloud nine when i got an envelope of love and affection from guru ji. On a rainy evening when i opened the envelope containing letter from guru ji, and lots and lots of words of encouragement for the collection of dance reviews that i have been doing, i had his autographed review along with so much of memorabilia from him, as i was just going through all, i to my greatest surprise of life found that the weather on such a rainy evening turning into bright and sunny evening, this was a phenomena , i always believe this till date that the envelope from guru ji had so much power to influence even the weather. <br />Getting a call from him too was a blessing for me, he spoke out his heart and i am glad to be at the receiving end of it. He continued to encourage me in his voice and those words will always be with me and they will continue to encourage me.<br />Guru ji has made my collection of dance review very rich with his contribution. Guru ji had encouraged the idea of an exhibition of the collection, and went ahead to support it , if anything needed, his words are more than anything for me, i deeply feel, the only thing i deserved was touch his feet and seek his blessings.<br />His virtues of kindness, and down to earth approach and love and encouragement will live on and on.<br />May Guru ji&#39;s continue to live till time last&#39;s in our heart and through the service of arts.<br />Our condolence to family and all.<br /><br />Namaskar<br /><br />Pandithar Sivakumar Perumal and Dr.Lakshmi , PuneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com